1-1     By:  Truan                                             S.B. No. 210
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed January 21, 1999; January 28, 1999,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Special Committee on Border
 1-4     Affairs; March 15, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:
 1-5     Yeas 5, Nays 0; March 15, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to directing certain higher education research programs to
 1-9     address environmental issues affecting the Texas-Mexico border
1-10     region.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1.  Section 142.002, Education Code, is amended to
1-13     read as follows:
1-14           Sec. 142.002. PURPOSE. The advanced research program is
1-15     established to encourage and provide support for basic research
1-16     conducted by faculty members in astronomy, atmospheric science,
1-17     biological and behavioral sciences, chemistry, computer sciences,
1-18     earth sciences, engineering, information science, mathematics,
1-19     material sciences, oceanography, physics, environmental issues
1-20     affecting the Texas-Mexico border region, the reduction of
1-21     industrial, agricultural, and domestic water use, social sciences,
1-22     and related disciplines in eligible institutions.
1-23           SECTION 2.  Section 143.003, Education Code, is amended to
1-24     read as follows:
1-25           Sec. 143.003.  PRIORITY RESEARCH AREAS.  The technology
1-26     program may provide support for faculty members to conduct research
1-27     in areas determined by an advisory panel appointed by the
1-28     coordinating board.  Initial research areas shall include:
1-29     agriculture, biotechnology, biomedicine, energy, environment,
1-30     materials science, microelectronics, aerospace, marine science,
1-31     aquaculture, telecommunications, manufacturing science,
1-32     environmental issues affecting the Texas-Mexico border region, the
1-33     reduction of industrial, agricultural, and domestic water use,
1-34     recycling, and related disciplines.  The advisory panel may add or
1-35     delete priority research areas as the panel considers warranted.
1-36           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-37     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-38     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-39     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-40     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-41     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-42     passage, and it is so enacted.
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